a Species of West- Indian Fish. 45 



considerably lessened, and, in fifteen minutes, they 

 entirely ceased. She came to the use of her speech, 

 about an hour after. 



Her symptoms being thus essentially relieved, I 

 was enabled to make a more particular inquiry into 

 the cause of her illness. We were informed, that 



Mrs. M k alone, of all the ladies, had eaten the 



belly-part of the fish; the others having eaten the 

 other parts of it. 



Towards the evening, she complained of a severe 

 pain in her limbs. Four blisters were now applied, 

 and in two or three days, she was able to leave her 

 bed, but she continued, for a long time, to feel very 

 weak, and laboured under depression of spirits. 



Philadelphia , February 12th, 

 1805. 



REMARKS. 



The preceding relation may be considered as a 

 valuable addition to the stock of our knowledge rela- 

 tive to the poisonous qualities of certain species of 

 fish. In one respect, it is very important. It plainly 

 shows, that while one part of the fish is capable of 

 producing the most alarming symptoms, not less vio- 

 lent than those induced by many of the narcotic vege- 

 tables, and even arsenic and some of the % preparations 



